Newsletter August 2023 – M&E

by | Aug 1, 2023 | Newsletters

COMPANY NEWS

EMERGENCY CONTACT

WHS customers can no longer leave a message on an answerphone during out-of-office periods – blame BT, this change took place without our knowledge and can’t be rectified (and they say this is progress!).

However, we are fully aware that accidents can happen when companies are working beyond our office hours (which 8am – 5pm Monday to Friday). Any customer who needs to make that emergency call to WHS out of hours, is asked to contact one of our staff on 07811-417888. But, this number should only be used out of hours for emergency contact ONLY; please DO NOT call out of hours unless it is a real emergency that can’t wait.

TRAINING

When booking courses, all necessary criteria and restrictions will be personally communicated both directly at the time of booking and again through joining instructions ahead of all planned courses. It is vital that these are understood and relevant information clearly passed to candidates.

And do please be sure to inform us ahead of the course date of any candidate who may require assistance in any way, especially with reading or writing; we need advance notice to be able to provide this help.

Please contact Vicki at Wenlock Health & Safety Ltd (WHS) on 01952 885885 or enquiries@wenlockhs.co.uk
or vicki@wenlockhs.co.uk to book places. In addition to those below, please enquire about our other courses available; the full range is also detailed on our website: https://wenlockhealthandsafety.co.uk/

CITB COURSES

It must be noted that CITB attendance rules are very strict; they must be understood and are reiterated here:

  • CITB specifies that candidates must be available to attend each session within the course; failure to do so may require a repeat course.
  • Attendance is absolutely vital once booked; because of CITB rules, we may be forced to cancel a course on that morning if some candidates fail to take part, to the detriment of all candidates.
  • Basic refreshments will be available; however, no lunch is provided and candidates are to make their own provision (bring their own or there are shops nearby and a small café on site).

Candidates must arrive by 8.15am for registration; all courses start at 8.30am and finish at around 4.30pm.

* Please reiterate to all candidates the absolute need to make their way up to the WHS offices and log their vehicle registration numbers immediately upon arrival in the car park to avoid being charged for parking.

NEW – CITB LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT COURSES (see further information below)

  • Developing Yourself as a Team Leader

Duration: 1 day
Dates:

    • 13 November 2023 (Monday)

Cost: £115 + VAT per person

  • Achieving Performance Through People

Duration: 2 days
Dates:

    • 3 & 4 October 2023 (Tuesday & Wednesday)

Cost: £225 + VAT per person

  • Handling Difficult Situations

Duration: 2 days
Dates:

    • 12 & 13 October 2023 (Thursday & Friday)

Cost: £225 + VAT per person

  • Delivery of Site Management and Logistics

Duration: 2 days
Dates:

    • 26 & 27 October 2023 (Thursday & Friday)

Cost: £225 + VAT per person

CITB SITE SAFETY COURSES

  • Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS)

Duration: 5 days; 1 day per week
Dates:

    • 27 July; 3, 10, 17 & 24 August 2023 (Thursdays)
      Monday 4 to Friday 8 September 2023 (a 1-week block course)
    • 11, 18 & 25 September, 2 & 9 October 2023 (Mondays)

Cost: £495 + VAT per person

  • Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) Refresher

Duration: 2 days
Dates:

    • 7 & 8 August 2023 (Monday & Tuesday)
    • 16 & 17 October 2023 (Monday & Tuesday)

Cost: £285 + VAT per person
(10% discount when booking 2 or more people on all courses)

  • Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS)

Duration: 2 days
Dates:

    • 13 & 14 September 2023 (Wednesday & Thursday)
    • 1 & 2 November 2023 (Wednesday & Thursday)

Cost: £250 + VAT per person
(10% discount when booking 2 or more people on all courses)

  • Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) Refresher

Duration: 1 day
Dates:

    • 21 August 2023 (Monday)
    • 11 October 2023 (Wednesday)

Cost: £170 + VAT
(10% discount when booking 2 or more people on all courses)

  • CITB 1-Day Health & Safety Awareness

Duration: 1 day
Dates:

    • 22 August 2023 (Tuesday)
    • 28 September 2023 (Thursday)
    • 7 November 2023 (Tuesday)

Cost: £145 + VAT per person
(10% discount when booking 2 or more people on all courses)

NEW – CITB ASBESTOS AWARENESS (see further information below)

Half-day CITB asbestos awareness open course.

Date:11 August 2023 (Friday)
Cost: £60 + VAT per person

OTHER COURSES

FIRST AID

1-day Emergency First-Aid at Work course dates are listed below; Covid-specific controls will still apply for this particular course for the moment and they will be advised within the joining instructions. Demand is always high, so book places as soon as possible to avoid disappointment:

Dates:

  • 23 August 2023 (Wednesday)
  • 27 September 2023 (Wednesday)
  • 30 October 2023 (Monday)
  • 29 November 2023 (Wednesday)
  • 18 December 2023 (Monday)Cost: £85 + VAT per person

IOSH MANAGING SAFELY

3-day IOSH Managing Safely course

Duration: 3 consecutive days
Dates:

  • 19, 20 & 21 September 2023 (Tuesday – Thursday)

Cost: £395 + VAT per person

IMPORTANT TRAINING NEWS

CITB GRANTS

The CITB grant system has been around since 1964 and was instigated to build up a safe, professional and fully qualified construction industry. Clear and concise information about the current system, including levy rates, is available on: https://www.citb.co.uk/levy-grants-and-funding/citb-levy/
Many small companies see the levy as ‘just an added expense’ but it most certainly isn’t. Contractors who, as they should do, provide comprehensive training for their workers (of all types) stand to benefit hugely from the grants available per course. So, rather than just an added expense, those who do train and utilise the CITB levy system properly stand to recoup a lot, if not all, of that expense.

It’s not often you’re given money to do the right thing, so take advantage of it! Take a look at the attached CITB poster (with useful QR codes) or the CITB website for full information on the grants and all the things you can claim back your costs for… even including travel!

NEW CITB LEADERSHIP COURSES

WHS is pleased to offer a suite of new CITB-approved courses aimed at ensuring relevant site-based staff develop the skills to manage people and difficult situations.

All too often, individuals are promoted through the ranks and find themselves in management positions for which they have little or no experience; these courses have been developed in conjunction with CITB and specialists in the leadership and management field to address these issues and to give site staff the confidence to manage site personnel to best effect.

Details of forthcoming 1 and 2-day courses are stated above; contact the WHS office on 01952-885885 to book places.

NEW CITB ASBESTOS COURSE

WHS is also pleased to offer a new CITB-approved asbestos awareness course. As with our WHS asbestos awareness course, renewal should be within 2 years, with a refresher (a good and documented tool-box talk would generally suffice) at the 1 year mark to satisfy HSE requirements; however, this course has the advantage of being CITB-badged as additional proof of competent training.

So WHS now offer 3 asbestos awareness courses, all perfectly sound but the choice will depend on your needs (or that of your clients); the choice is yours:

  • UKATA course – strict annual expiry date
  • CITB course – recommended renewal at 2 years
  • WHS course – recommended renewal at 2 years

Details of forthcoming new CITB half-day course is stated above; contact the WHS office on 01952-885885 to book places.

FREE CITB COURSES

In addition to the new range of CITB courses, do note that there are two FREE fully certificated CITB e-learning courses available which can be done in the candidate’s own time:

  • Fire Safety Awareness in Construction – an introduction into the importance of adequate fire systems on site: CITB eCourses :: Learningprograms
  • Temporary Works General Awareness – an introduction into their importance and an awareness of the basic requirements: CITB eCourses :: Learningprograms

It’s not often you’re offered something for nothing, so take full advantage!

CSCS CARDS

CITB and CSCS are trying to discourage sites from simply asking for any CSCS to enter sites; they are asking principal contractors to be more aware of which skills are actually required on their sites and be specific about the CSCS cards required. Therefore, CSCS cards related to specific trades and skills, levels of management and types of visitors should be asked for – some visitors may not need CSCS cards at all. Sense prevails at last!

So everyone who has reason to enter a site, whether it’s for trades, management or just a meeting, must make sure they do have the correct card with them at all times. Cards can easily get lost on site so many people are reluctant to carry them on their person, so how can we get over this? People are never reluctant to carry their mobile phones so an app called My CSCS is the answer; individuals (not employers) can store their CSCS cards on the app so they’re available at all times. The app also means that there’s no longer any need to apply for replacement CSCS cards.

All employers are asked to pass this information on to their employees and sub-contractors and encourage them to log their CSCS cards on the app; it saves a lot of wasted time and hassle. And employers can still check the validity of individuals’ cards by using the CSCS checker app or website:
https://cardcheck.gosmart.co.uk/

HSE NEWS

FATALITY STATISTICS 2022/23

The HSE has published the workplace fatality statistics for the UK covering April 2022 to the end of March 2023, and they make very grim reading:

  • There were 135 industry-wide fatalities, an increase of increase of almost 10% over the previous year.
  • The highest number of deaths was (as usual) in the construction industry; 45, a staggering 33% of the total number of workplace deaths*, and an increase of 50% over the previous year.
  • The most common causes of workplace deaths was (again, as usual) falls from height; 40, 30% of the total, and an increase of 38% over the previous year.
  • The next most common causes of workplace deaths were from moving objects or being struck by a moving vehicle
  • In addition, 68 members of the public were killed from work-related causes, 20 fewer than the previous year but still an appallingly high number.

Obviously, we cannot let our guard down, even when money is increasingly tight. It is idiotic to attempt to save money when it comes to health & safety; the cost of saving money may well be the death of a person and/or the death of your company.

* Bear in mind that the construction industry contributes 6.5% to the total UK economy and accounts for 6.3% of total UK employment. Now that puts the total number of construction deaths into perspective: 6.3% of employment but 33% of workplace deaths.

DUSTS – A WARNING

Following on from previous newsletters, a warning to all contractors, project management and workshops. WHS has seen a lot of evidence of HSE enforcement in relation to dusts, both on site and in the workshop environment.

We have highlighted again and again that, by law, ALL dusts MUST be suppressed at source or captured and that the use or respiratory protection (RPE) is a last resort only. Yet, time and time again, WHS consultants are still seeing uncontrolled dust emissions. If we can spot it, so can the HSE – and they have in many cases. There will be no defence if anyone is caught; so be warned!

MANUAL HANDLING

Equally, WHS has seen a lot of evidence that the HSE is hitting sites hard in relation to materials management with a view to enforcing the manual handling regulations. Again, be warned; there will be no defence if materials handling is not properly managed.

SAFETY ALERT – LPG FORKLIFTS

The HSE has issued a Safety Alert in June following a number of fires on LPG-powered forklift trucks and other similar vehicles. The problem arises during the starting up of these vehicles and relates to the build-up of deposits in fuel systems.

The HSE recommends, amongst other possible courses of action (to quote):

  • review your safe system of work in relation to the use of all LPG powered lift trucks and similar vehicles
  • provide information, instruction and training for all operators about the hazards raised in the alert
  • park LPG vehicles in well ventilated areas free from flammable material, particularly when parking overnight or for longer periods

The full Safety Alert can be viewed on: https://rb.gy/8cdc6 and is essential reading for all operators of any such plant / vehicles

MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health continues to be a hot topic within construction and other volatile industries such as farming. And the HSE continue to improve the information, guidance and assistance available on their ‘Working Minds’ website: https://rb.gy/zbgrh , https://rb.gy/6ogmk and https://rb.gy/67bfl

WHS is also here to help, and we continue to roll out frequent Mental Health First-Aid courses which, predictably, are well attended. The 1-day course results in a Level 2 Award in First Aid for Mental Health and aim to provide a sound awareness of the signs of potential mental health deterioration, how to handle the issues and where to seek professional help. Contact the WHS office on 01952-885855 for details of future courses.

In addition, the Lighthouse Charity was established some time ago specifically to support construction workers and their families with a range of issues, particularly mental health. The charity also covers physical health and financial well-being – and a deteriorating of either can contribute greatly towards a reduction in an individual’s mental health.

For further information and contact details, please do ring the WHS office on 01952-885885 and speak to Becki or Vicki.

ASBESTOS AND YOU

The HSE continues to target asbestos in a prime campaign aimed particularly at tradespeople. Called ‘Asbestos and You’, the aim of the campaign is to ensure that tradespeople are furnished with the information needed and that they take the issue seriously.

The HSE has copious information on their website to raise awareness specifically within this sector:
https://rb.gy/cesqs (an asbestos quiz – a really good starting point!) and https://rb.gy/m2218 .

However, we all know that tradespeople very often don’t have the time or motivation to read information, seek assistance or establish the necessary controls. WHS is therefore asking all those reading this newsletter to please spread the word, not only amongst your own sub-contracted tradespeople (please stress that, yes, the law applies to them even when they’re not working for you!), but also family, friends, colleagues and all others you know who may be involved in DIY, refurbishments, or any other potential way that asbestos may be disturbed.

AND A WARNING FROM SOMEONE WHO KNOWS ….

Former shipyard worker James Queen, now 74 years old, has issued a warning to tradespeople after being diagnosed with mesothelioma last year and losing a third of his body weight. James says there is no cure and is aiming to warn tradespeople that, although asbestos was banned 20+ years ago, asbestos materials are still widespread and the risks are still very real.

James was regularly exposed to asbestos during the 1960s when he was an apprentice at Glasgow docks; he then moved to Liverpool and continued working as a shipwright. James says that he coughs continually, is short of breath and his body “is wasted”. From this…. to this

We at WHS often hear the comment from younger people that “by that age” I won’t care – but the years fly by very quickly, 74 is not old by today’s standards, and this is an awful way to die. So, no matter how old (or young) the worker is and how invincible he/she may feel, everyone should remember poor James and avoid the risks of contracting asbestos-related diseases at all costs – the cost may be that worker’s life.

The full article can be found on the HSE website; please share it far and wide::
https://press.hse.gov.uk/2023/07/07/former-shipyard-workers-warning-to-todays-young-tradespeople/

SAFETY WITH WATER SYSTEMS

As we have highlighted on many previous occasions, the risk of contracting Legionella (or ‘Legionnaires’ Disease’) is very real with poorly maintained water systems and can prove fatal. The bacteria can be inhaled when small droplets of contaminated water become airborne; there are numerous documented cases of resultant fatalities, the worst (still) being that of Barrow-in-Furness in 2002 where 7 members of the public died and 180 suffered ill-health (https://www.hse.gov.uk/legionnaires/barrow.htm)

There is ample guidance on the HSE’s website: https://rb.gy/a4q05 and https://rb.gy/stlis .

However, to ensure that all those involved in design, procurement, management and control of any aspect of water systems, both on site and within structures (e.g. head offices, refurbishments, etc), know exactly what the issues are and how to deal with them, WHS strongly advises specific training in the subject. Contact the WHS office on 01952-885855 for details– to be forewarned is to be forearmed as they say!

ENVIRONMENTAL

SUSTAINABILITY IN ELECTRICAL WORK

Industry leader in electrical sustainability, Schneider Electrical have established a Sustainability School to provide electrical engineers with the knowledge and tools to differentiate their businesses, market their responsible approaches to clients and win work.

Go to the Schneider website: https://rb.gy/6ut46 to sign up for free and benefit from the wealth of assistance, tools and training available through Schneider.

EMPLOYMENT

A USEFUL CONTACT

For anyone looking for new starters, this is a very useful contact. Talentview was established specifically to tackle skill shortages and match employers with those wishing to start or progress in the construction industry.

The easy to use website is available to both employers and those seeking work:
https://talentview.org/construction

AND FINALLY

In this newsletter, we’ve included a diverse range of prosecutions, most of which did not relate to the construction and M&E industries. However, we have included these as all the issues are the same as those you would commonly deal with (work at height, guarding of machinery, overhead cables, vibration, COSHH, etc) and to give you an idea of the very high levels of fines now being levied.

Work at height

  • B Taylor & Sons Transport Ltd was fined £255,000 plus £3,687 costs after a worker fell from a wagon and sustained serious head injuries. As no forklift had been available to off-load panes of glass from the wagon, the victim had been passing the panes from stillage on the wagon to another worker on the ground; in doing so, he fell from the wagon, fracturing his skull and receiving other life-changing injuries.

The HSE stressed that all work at height must be properly risk assessed and managed properly – and this includes transport industries and all other industries where there is need to work off the ground.

Overhead cables

  • Haulage company, Andrew Black Ltd, was fined £150,000 after the death of a young but experienced driver at its yard. The victim had finished cleaning his wagon ready for the next shift; he then raised the body of the tipper which made contact with overhead power cables and resulted in the victim being electrocuted.

It is astonishing that, in this day and age, no control measures at all had been taken to prevent contact with overhead cables which were present in a commonly used area of the yard. The establishment of simple safety zones could have prevented the accident or, better still, relocating the cables!

Plant & machinery

  • Tata Steel UK was fined £120,000 plus costs of £14,138 after a worker was struck in the face by a scaffold pole and suffered permanent brain damage. The victim had been trying to release the jammed door of a paddle mixer with the scaffold pole; when it was freed, the working paddle mixer made contact with the pole, causing it to spin and resulting in it hitting his face violently. The HSE found that the mixer door regularly jammed through build-up of material but no risk assessment or ‘safe system of work’ had been established to cope with it.
  • HS Butyl Ltd was fined £80,000 plus costs of £4,946 after a worker was drawn into a machine and broke his arm in two places. The worker had noticed a build-up of material on a conveyor belt and reached in to clear it; his left arm then became trapped and entangled, resulting in the fractures. He was unable to work for a year after the accident.

A totally avoidable accident; as the photo show, there was no guarding to the moving parts of the machine.

  • Vape liquid manufacturer, VN Labs Ltd, was fined £180,000 plus £7,490 costs after an agency worker had two fingers and a thumb sliced off in a packaging machine; he had been attempting to clear a blockage. He has been unable to work since. The machine had recently been imported without guarding; the company has installed a clear plastic guard but access to hazardous parts of the machine was still possible.

The company was obviously aware of the issue (unlike the previous case) but had failed to ensure the new guard properly protected moving and/or hazardous parts. Risk assessment was lacking, as was training and supervision i.e. no safe system of work was in place.

  • Johnsons Textile Services Ltd was fined £400,000 plus £5,920 costs after a horrific accident where a worker had the skin ripped off the palm of her left hand. She had been trying to clean a sensor that initiated movement of a conveyor but, in doing so, her hand was drawn into the gap where two conveyors meet.

Yet again, unguarded moving parts was the cause, plus a lack of risk assessment and, thus, no safe system of work.

  • Interior Products Group Ltd was fined £100,000 plus costs of £7,688 after a worker partially severed two fingers whilst trying to find a fault on a machine; he had failed to immobilise the machine before looking inside. Although risk assessment was in place, the company had failed to identify all potential hazards and, thus, not provided adequate information, training and instruction on maintenance activities such as cleaning and minor repairs.
  • Tissue manufacturer, Sofidel UK Ltd was fined £1 million plus costs of £13,447 after a worker was seriously injured when he was struck in the face by a crane hook; he suffered multiple fractures to the face and lost an eye and nine teeth. A horrific accident! The worker had been trying to free a paper reel that had become stuck on exit rails by using an overhead crane; in doing so the crane hook made contact with the spinning reel, causing it to swing violently and he was struck in the face.

Yet again, no risk assessment and no safe system of work for potential and foreseeable hazards

Vibration

  • Plymouth City Council was fined £200,000 plus £25,877 costs after failing to protect workers from hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) and carpel tunnel. Six workers had developed symptoms after prolonged exposure to vibration through grass cutting and arboriculture activities.

An appalling lack of care considering specific legislation has been in place since 2005 and the Health & Safety at Work has placed a general duty of care on all employers since 1974!

COSHH

  • Private health care provider, Circle Health Group, was fined £160,000 plus £12,520 costs after three workers received emergency treatment from exposure to chlorine gas. One of the workers had been asked to reduce the PH level in the clinic’s hydrotherapy pool; however, he was untrained and mixed chemicals that resulted in the release of chlorine gas. He was rushed to hospital and two others were treated at the site. The HSE found no systems in place to ensure properly trained personnel only would be permitted to carry out any such duties – an appalling oversight as chlorine gas can kill in minutes.

WHS is working for you; help us to help you.
Our aim is to keep people safe and to keep your company working.
To contact WHS, ring: 01952-885885